Binay vs Roxas vs Revilla in 2016?

By Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA - The 2016 presidential elections may have already commenced, with major political parties announcing their bets this early.

A day after Senator Franklin Drilon announced on television that Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas will be carrying the Liberal Party flag in 2016, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats announced that actor-Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. will be seeking the highest post, too.

This was announced by House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez during a press conference. The party, which also backs former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, also announced a major shakeup within their ranks.

A report from the Philippine Star said Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez will likely be elected president, while Revilla will become chairman.

The opposition held a meeting at the Fairways Function Room of the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati today.

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s camp already said 2016 will be an “interesting” year for the elections. Binay has said several times that he is also seeking the presidency in 2016.

“We welcome the statement of Senator Frank Drilon. He is after all the campaign manager and speaks with authority on political matters,” said Joey Salgado, Binay’s spokesman.

In an interview with ANC on Tuesday night, the transcripts of which were made available on the Senate website, Drilon said the LP will be led by Roxas in 2016.

Drilon is currently campaign manager of Team PNoy, which is a coalition of LP with other political parties for the mid-term elections in May.

The 2013 mid-term election is believed to be a proxy war for the 2016 presidential polls. Binay is one of the stalwarts of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Lakas-CMD also earlier said that the party is still a force to reckon with, despite the shifting of many of its members to other parties. – with a report from Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News